Brokers say 2013 was a good year in business-for-sale activity, and they believe 2014 could be even better as more buyers and sellers enter the market. But activity is still far behind the levels reported before the recession.

In a nationwide survey of business brokers conducted by BizBuySell.com, 68 percent of respondents reported an increase in the number of transactions in 2013 and 83 percent felt that there will be even more small business sales in 2014.

Most brokers credited the transaction spike to a combination of the improving economy and an increase in buyers and sellers on the market. When asked to identify the primary factor that helped more business transactions close in 2013, 30 percent attributed the spike to a rise in the number of interested business buyers on the market in 2013. About 23 percent said the greater number of transactions was due to an improved economic environment for small businesses in general.

Another 18 percent attributed the sales boom to an increase in the number of sellers listing their companies. So why did buyers and sellers decide 2013 was the right time to enter the business-for-sale marketplace?

The economy had a lot to do with it, according to brokers. About 54 percent of respondents who said more buyers were on the market credited increased confidence in the economic recovery. Another 19 percent believed buyers felt they were receiving strong value on their small business purchases. Brokers who saw more sellers on the market overwhelmingly (70 percent) felt that these owners had been waiting out the recession, and were finally confident they could sell for a good price in 2013.